I plan my meals and snacks the day before and try to stick to it! I also keep Tofu Shiritaki noodles and Laughing Cow cheese wedges on hand at all times. (I'll admit the noodles are a bit of an acquired taste, but I absolutely LOVE them now!!) One bag of noodles (40 cals) heated on the stove or microwave with one wedge of Laughing Cow Garlic and Herb cheese (35 cals) = a big bowl of noodley goodness for less than 100cals! I also add mushrooms, spinach, squash, or whatever I have on hand to bulk it up even more. It's wonderful when you just want to keep your mouth moving but don't want to commit to a full meal. You should also check out HungryGirl.com for snacking and small meal ideas. She has a ton of creative ideas. :)

I drink a large glass of water and then try and find something else to do. Usually I try to find something motivating like reading blogs or message boards here on Spark. After about half an hour or so I find I don't have the craving for a snack anymore.

Give up everything you love, and everything that tastes good = weight loss! Simple as that!

"Eating what stands on one leg (mushrooms and plant foods) is better than eating what stands on two legs (fowl), which is better than eating what stands on four legs (cows, pigs, and other mammals)"....... Chinese proverb "Food is not love, comfort, or an anxiety pill."

If I want to snack (and it is not time to snack or I have already eatten my three 100 calorie snacks a day), then I will drink some more water or maybe take my Isha dog for a walk. I have noticed that sometimes when I get my mind off of the snack than I don't want it anymore. I have read something that if you can distract yourself for 10 minutes from reaching for that snack it will pass. :)

Sweet, senstive, Purple Dolphin losing some weight!

So. California - Pacific Standard Time

SARAHF1988
Posts:
603
8/29/12 1:53 P

I just consider do I really need it? Will I regret it when I weigh myself? And if you're bored take up a hobby that involves your hands such as knitting, crochet or even do some puzzles.

Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a secondís encounter with God and with eternity" -Paulo Coelho Alchemist

I typically don't snack until the afternoon. But to keep myself from snacking on the wrong things, I drink alot of water, tea, whatever, to satisfy my need for flavor. I keep moving, keep my hands busy, keep food out of sight, stay out of the kitchen.

When I do snack, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, unless you are snacking on not the most healthy foods, then I usually try to have a granola bar or kashi bar, fruit, cheese, some cut up veggies, a peice of whole wheat bread with peanut butter--basically anything with a bit of protein or fiber to kind of help fill my stomach up, but nothing too big or too calorie heavy.

Remember, you can snack, but try to keep them a good, healthy mixture of fiber with a bit of protein, and you'll find that it will fill you up, along with water, and you won't need to snack as much...well, at least that works for me! :)

Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're probably right.--Henry Ford

I too have a hard time with snacking - I am looking for recipes of snacks that I can use that are VERY low in calorie but still satisfy my needs. I tend to really snack at night before going to bed, last night I drank extra water and had a sugar free popsicle. This worked very well.

In the winter I crochet - this keeps my hands busy as well as my mind - but in the summer it's just too hot.

find a hobby that keeps you engaged. I never snack when I'm sewing. Also have regular snack breaks, I have one a couple hours after lunch and dinner. Because I have planned for these breaks in my daily cal count I don't seem to snack at other times.

Karen

MOTOMAMA
Posts:
2,010
8/29/12 7:40 A

I don't think snacking itself is a bad thing, I usually eat 6 meals a day and I call the ones in between the regular meals snacks. However, it sounds like you are just mindlessly grabbing food. When I have dealt with times like that I try to become really concious of what I'm doing and I tell myself to get some water and drink it all before grabbing food. I decide whether I'm bored or not and if I am I find something to do or tell myself to wait at least 10 minutes before getting something to eat in hopes the feeling will pass. If I actually am hungry I eat something like an apple and peanut butter. I just try to be mindful of what I'm eating and when.

take 3 deep breaths before eating anything. I usually find that helps me to quit emotional eating by calming me down or it gives me a few minutes to clear my mind and refocus on what I need to do instead. Also, drink water. sometimes you just need something to do with your mouth and ice water helps.

I am having alot of trouble with...picking... I'll grab a nutrigrain bar or some crispy minis each time I walk through the kitchen! at times I am not even hungry.. perhaps just bored. What do you do to prevent this kind of mindless snacking? am I lost cause?

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